Is Albuquerque cheaper than Huntsville?

No. Huntsville is cheaper: typical rent is $1,310 a month versus $1,464 in Albuquerque — 11% lower. Median household income is $61,503 in Albuquerque compared with $67,874 in Huntsville, so Huntsville has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, Albuquerque or Huntsville?

Huntsville is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 95 versus 179 in Albuquerque — 47% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, Albuquerque or Huntsville?

School composites are close: A- in Albuquerque and A- in Huntsville. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

New search

City comparison

Albuquerque, NM vs Huntsville, AL

Albuquerque, NM versus Huntsville, AL is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,464 a month in Albuquerque and $1,310 in Huntsville, and median household income lands at $61,503 versus $67,874. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

Huntsville takes affordability, job market, safety, and weather. The widest gap is crime index, where Huntsville leads by 47% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in Albuquerque can feel further apart than Albuquerque and Huntsville do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the Albuquerque and Huntsville reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full Albuquerque report Full Huntsville report

Albuquerque, NM

Rent: $1,464/mo
Median income: $61,503
Crime index: 179
Schools: A-
Weather: 86°F

Huntsville, AL

Rent: $1,310/mo
Median income: $67,874
Crime index: 95
Schools: A-
Weather: 79°F

Rent

11% cheaper

Huntsville rent is 11% cheaper than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

$1,464/mo

Huntsville

Winner

$1,310/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,310 a month in Huntsville versus $1,464 in Albuquerque, so Huntsville is 11% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $1,848 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Huntsville still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in Albuquerque.

Median income

10% higher

Huntsville's median income is 10% higher than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

$61,503

Huntsville

Winner

$67,874

What this means for your life

Median household income is $67,874 in Huntsville versus $61,503 in Albuquerque, so typical pay runs 10% higher in Huntsville — about $6,371 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.

Crime index

47% lower crime

Huntsville's crime index is 47% lower than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

179 (100 = avg)

Huntsville

Winner

95 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

Huntsville's crime index is 95 versus 179 in Albuquerque (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 47% lower in Huntsville. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, Huntsville is the easier city. Albuquerque can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

Albuquerque and Huntsville are about even on school scores.

Albuquerque

A- · 84/100

Huntsville

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in Albuquerque, A- in Huntsville). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

30% more comfortable

Huntsville weather is 30% more comfortable than Albuquerque

Albuquerque

86°F typical

Huntsville

Winner

79°F typical

What this means for your life

Huntsville scores 30% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 86°F in Albuquerque and 79°F in Huntsville. Albuquerque reads as hot, long summers; Huntsville reads as warm weather most of the year. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Huntsville is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. Albuquerque can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose Albuquerque

People with a job, family, or neighborhood already pulling them to Albuquerque

On these five categories Huntsville takes the scoreboard, so you should not choose Albuquerque because the stats are kinder — they are not. Choose Albuquerque only if a job offer, family, a specific neighborhood, or a life you already started there outweighs the box score. Plenty of good moves ignore the aggregate; just do it on purpose.

Open the Albuquerque report →

Fit check

Who should choose Huntsville

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

Huntsville is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 11% cheaper here at about $1,310 a month. Choose Huntsville if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 10% higher ($67,874), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 79°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Huntsville is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 47% lower than Albuquerque (95 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the Huntsville report →

Bottom line

Albuquerque vs Huntsville, called

If safety is your priority, Huntsville is the clear choice.

If weather matters more to you, Huntsville pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Huntsville offers the better overall package.

Common questions

Albuquerque vs Huntsville FAQ

Is Albuquerque cheaper than Huntsville?: No. Huntsville is cheaper: typical rent is $1,310 a month versus $1,464 in Albuquerque — 11% lower. Median household income is $61,503 in Albuquerque compared with $67,874 in Huntsville, so Huntsville has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, Albuquerque or Huntsville?: Huntsville is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 95 versus 179 in Albuquerque — 47% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, Albuquerque or Huntsville?: School composites are close: A- in Albuquerque and A- in Huntsville. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

Ready to move to Huntsville?

Find apartments →Get a mortgage rate →

Next steps